The Large, Black Dog
by All-The-Way-007
Summary: What happened in Harry's fourth year when Professor Dumbledore sent Professor McGonagall to Hagrid's pumpkin patch to get a dog?


The Large, Black Dog

Rating: K

Summary: What happened when Professor McGonagall went to get that large, black dog from Hagrid's pumpkin patch?

Set at the end of the Goblet of Fire.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. :(

CHAPTER 1

"Minerva, go down to Hagrid's, where you will find a large, black dog. Take him to my office and tell him I will be with him shortly. Then come back here," Professor Dumbledore ordered.

"Of course," said Professor McGonagall. She glanced quickly at Harry, who was sitting on the floor, his lip bleeding, turned on her heel, and rushed out of the room. She hurried down the steps and out to Hagrid's, where she could see a very large heap of something in the pumpkin patch.

"Albus, I will get you for this!" She muttered to herself. Professor McGonagall was particularly uneasy around dogs. For one, not all dogs were loving, cuddly, keep-in-your-purse dogs. Some were vicious. Also, she was an Animagus. Her Animagus form was a cat. It was only instinct to be nervous around dogs.

As Professor McGonagall was nearing the pumpkin patch, the dog sat up. She stopped.

"Professor Dumbledore asked me to bring you to his office, I believe. If you would please follow me," she said cautiously. The dog stood up and walked over. Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow.

"Can you understand me?" She asked. The dog just stared. "Right, of course not. Well, let's go, quickly."

A few moments later, the pair had reached Dumbledore's office.

"You may wait here, Dumbledore will be with you in a moment or two," McGonagall told the dog. She turned to leave when the dog barked loudly.

"What?! Do you need something?" She asked exasperatedly.

Professor McGonagall turned back around and a man was standing in the dog's place.

It was Sirius Black.

Professor McGonagall jumped back.

"Merciful heaven! Sirius Black! What...how did you...does Albus...you're an Animagus?"

"Well to start in reverse order, yes, I am an Animagus. Unregistered, but I still am one. And yes, Dumbledore knows that I am the dog in the pumpkin patch," Sirius said calmly, as though he was expecting this to happen.

"When did you become an Animagus? And how?" McGongall asked.

"James, Peter, and I all became Animagi to support Remus and his 'furry problem.'" Sirius explained.

Professor McGonagall gasped. "All three of you? You all became Animagi? Why didn't you come to me and tell me that you wanted to do that? I would've helped you!"

"Would you really have helped the school mischief makers in becoming something that could help them get into more mischief?" Sirius asked doubtfully. McGonagall was silent. "Uh huh, I didn't think so."

"How old we're you?" she asked.

"Fifteen."

"Fifteen? You were younger than I was when I became one! How did you do it?"

"True, true. But we didn't get hurt or anything, so it all worked out. We could help Remus without being in too much danger," said Sirius. "We honestly didn't use them for anything else."

"I see, but how did Dumbledore know you would be in the pumpkin patch tonight? Surely you couldn't have been in contact?" Professor McGonagall asked weakly.

"We've actually been in contact for a while, using code words and phrases in letters. Harry knows too," Sirius responded. McGonagall looked shocked to hear that one of her students had been in contact with him. Of course, it also happened to be the one student who was in danger almost every moment of his life.

Professor McGonagall fell into a chair, not taking her eyes off of the man standing in front of her. She hadn't seen him in years. He was very thin, and looked exhausted.

"Sirius, what happened to you? You look like you haven't eaten or slept in weeks," asked McGonagall, regaining some of her composure and changing the subject.

"I've...been around," Sirius replied slowly. "You know, I'm a wanted murderer, so I've been living in a rather nice cave Dumbledore found for me. Eating rats and such," He knew it was a mistake to mention eating rats as soon as it came out of his mouth. Professor McGonagall gasped and jumped out of her chair.

"You've been eating rats? Living in a cave? Sirius, you should've asked to stay at the castle! We could've helped you! You could've gone to Grimmauld Place, that is your house, you know," She started to talk more to herself after that. "Why didn't Albus tell me about all this? I could've helped! You wouldn't be eating rats! I'm an Animagus too! I could've just gone down and brought food! Doesn't he trust me? When I get my hands on him...ugh, rats," She shuddered and sat down again.

Sirius looked down at her. He knew she would do this. She did look like she might be sick just thinking about his situation.

"Professor, I-" he began.

"Maybe now you can call me Minerva," she suggested quietly. "You're a grown man, not one of my students."

"Right. Minerva, I know it's all very confusing right now, but the only people who know about me are Albus, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and now you. They didn't want the word to have any way of getting out, so they didn't tell anyone," Sirius explained.

"What word? That you've escaped? Everyone knows that!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed.

"No, that they knew where I was. They simply didn't want the whole school to find out. You've seen how fast information flies around that school!" Sirius replied.

"Yes, that's true. I still don't understand what you're doing here, though." Professor McGonagall said, relaxing in her seat.

"Ah, yes. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me to come and talk to Harry and comfort him. He's certainly had a hard day, hasn't he?" Sirius asked her gently.

Professor McGonagall nodded. They sat in silence for a while, she was thinking about what had happened in the tournament, he was thinking about Lord Voldemort. McGonagall stood up slowly.

"Well, I ought to be going. Albus is expecting me to go back to Moody's office," she told Sirius.

"Yes, of course, I'll wait here. Would you try to get Harry to come here if you can?" He asked.

"Certainly. I don't want him with that imposter anyway," Professor McGonagall said, looking concerned.

Sirius nodded in agreement. McGonagall squeezed his shoulder, reassuringly, and swept out of the office, looking back once to make sure he was alright.

Sirius turned back into a dog, laid down, and fell asleep on the floor, only to be woken up a few minutes later by Albus Dumbledore, asking him to come to the hospital wing to see Harry.

Fin


End file.
